New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-05-08
A AFARMER INTERESTEDIN IN OIL
THE AMBITION OF CHARLES B. MATTHEW'S.

TAXING THE FEVER FROM HIRAM B. EVEREST
TESTIMONY OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE BUF-
FALo LUBRIoATINa CoMPANY-INFLAMaA-
| BILE NATURE OF PETROLEUM GASES.
| TBr TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE
BUFFALO. May 7-Tne trial OF the oil magnaes In the
Supreme Court to-day the indictments charging them
with conspiring together to the injury Of trade
and commerce interesting as usual
The Tits between counsel were lively, and 1t was
evident that both sides making strong fight Tho
effort OF the prosecution to connect the Standard OIL
Company with the defendants continued and most OF
| the session was taken with the examination OF
the complainant, Charles b. Matthew'S who is president
| OF the Buffalo Lubrcating Oil Company that Messrs
Rogers, Archbold McGregor and Everest are charged
with trying to ruin. Mr. Matthews is tall, heavy man
with prominent features full black beard and musaohe
and grizzly gray hair His eyes are keenly black. Hs
SPEAKS empnacaly ana has determined expression Of
| countenance that shows fight
Nine years ago Matthews peaceful farmer In tho
Wyoming Valley and good one In 1878 Hiram Everest
| invaded farmer Matthews's place and put him in
| charge OF wells which were being
| drilled for oil Instead Of oil they
| found salt Mr.. Matthews bright
smart man and wanted oil magnate, so he
obtained employment with the Vacuum OIL Company.
Two years suficed for him TO branch out for himself
having found that $50 month would not permit him TO
| roll In the luxury affected by ideal magnatea
He testified to many preliminary statements. He
described how he first met Hiram Everest and said tnat
his first work to 20 TO Pttsburg to attend
patent suit A question to whether or not
this the patent which the Vacuum sued the Buff
falo Company excluded He had talked with good
many people this subject Once he edited The Peoples
Journal, paper published by the Vacuum Company
but IL suspended because 1t was not O financial
success.
The DstrictAttorney offered show that the Vacuum
people had advised that the patent referred TO- ON
which they had sued the Buffalo was worthless
This excluded.
Mr.. Matthews said that he had seen Archibald and
Rogers in the Standard Office In New-York, and had
talked with the former. He repeated the following
conversation which took place In the presence OF Miller
between Charles Everest and himself: o
Mr.. Everest-As men respect you, but as to the
Buffalo OIL Company, shall do what can TO inJure OF
Mr. Matthcws-wo don't expect any favors from you
Mr.. Everest-fIow you going 10 get your crudei
| Mr.. Matthews-From the Atlas Company.
Mr. Eyerest-YOu will wake up some day and ma tnat
there will be no Atlas. or II Will be Ia the standard.
Mr. Everest further said that there methods OF
making money that did not know anything about
Mr. Matthews said that Millers absence greatly re-
tared tho business, aud the rst year the Buffalo COM
pany's oil was generally OF an inferior quality.
Tho District Attorney offered the Judgment rolls in
three suits brought by the Vacuum against the Buffalo
company for infringements OF patents in which the
latter was victorious These SUITS IL was claimed were
brought part OF the conspiracy
=" How much time consumed by you as president
in defending the suits q" asked the prosecutor.
There is a question OF damages Is thereF' said
Judge Haght.
"The Indictment charges that these actions were
brought without merit to embarrass the Buffalo COM
pany," said the DstrictAttorney.
"You have shown the results Of the actions, and by
no means follows that every man defeated In an action
brought IL without merit" said Mr. Coggswell
1t would be painful for the profession" said Mr.
Bacon
After some discussion the witness allowed to say
that he lost one-thrd OF his time.
My objection" said Mr. Cogswe, is that this Is
incompetent and not tending to show any injury TO
| trade and commerce as charged"
| Then | shall sustain tho objection" said Judge
| Haght.
81 should like to to heard" said District Attorney
Qunby Would not these acts result in injury to adc
and commerce. II Matthews was engaged In running the
works In manufacturing oil T.
Judge Haight replied: IL would be different in Milers
case 1 admitted the evidence because he was engaged
| in that branch Even II all Of Matthew's time were
occupied with lawsuits do not see how 1t interferod
with manufacturing oil at the works, or wherein uade
| and commerce injured"
Mr. Qunby argued that there would be injury because
| ultimately there would be no money to pay the men,
There must be conspiracy under this Indictment"
said Judge Haght % injure tIado and commerce. In
onler TO sustain Indictment you must make PROOF OF
overt acts tending to carry out the conspiracy They
| NAV not do H. but must tend TO do that thing"
As tho District Attorney wanted to produce authori-
ties further consideration was postponed until Monday
Earlier in tho session Judge Haght reversed ruling
made yesterday in which he excluded certain parts Oh
the deposition OF Hiram W. Everest The additional
evidence was read the jury Judge IIaight said hat
the deposition should only be considered AS evluehce
aganst the defendant who male H. II the statement OF
one oonspIrator was bind all the Others, then u ere
would be little chance for delehce Ine Disu.Ht Ti
Attorney offered ia evidence contrast M nhn nG On Are6
! bald, president, and Hiram H. Everest Dy Onares ~
| Everest attorney, in which the Vacuum on Company
| IaaIla
agreement WAS offered In which the Acme Company guar
SteeS hfssr sso business Of the Vacuum OH Company
TIs was offered the ground that II furnished motive
Tor Interfering with the Buffalo rival This was oDecteu
TO as inmaterial Judge Haght said that he did not
SEQ 1t would bear on the question OF mouve oeoa9
went on or not; but II the tAtoTney Insisted
exception The objection was acGordnsy, N oyerl1eI u
| Tho district Attorney asked for letter %nlcn mier
baJ The defence did not produce IT, on the ground
that t was in evidence by both Everest ana. ArchDu
thp1 srS WI William H. Pitt chemistry the
Central High School, was sworn as chenieSi ~ oil
or still about sixteen feet square as was dSne Dy
Miller at the Buffalo Ln1rcang 1 a wUr wnud 5e tbe
nature of those gases r. asked tho DstrictAttorney
vap"rs in petroleum regulated by the temperature All
the yapcrs of petroleum considered iniiammaoe or
combusuble but they come in contact win the air ana
Would a sula quantity OF vapor DO explosive r. A..
This was obected TO- and the question after some AIS
oussou was changed to- II large quantity OF yapor on
crude petroleum thrown into the air woud IL DO
| intamnable T. ,,t..,tr.x ,o. A
Precisely the same as common Illuminating gas a
ANAL quantity would be dangerous, .,.,--
When vapOrs discharged III ihrso qu'hiuue7'
are they inhamniablof 4
They coDsdt red" 49, p,.. ..t1 ,ho. bo
In The cross Examination Professor Pltt sald tnat no
had seen the process OF distation OF petfosan, n, ~
nIaan Iast aunmer Gases arise from crude Al % 10
7oS and are evolved up to point near red neat
| O'-Wbat ia red heat A.-ked color -, A.
,Iow nigh could vapors be evolved ! A-At
white heat. . r. l., ,,o bighest beot
Tho heat of the sun 5O00o 6,00O'. mean that
crude was thrown into white heat IL would dccomp"so
The Professor was subjected TO long examination 70
tcst his scientific knowledge. He considered mgmy
heated steam pure gas. .,.,. ~. .o,.h,s.;ha ,